Hickory Ridge High School Bands :: Professional Staff

Mr. Chris L. White :: Director of Bands Hickory Ridge HS, Assistant Director Hickory Ridge MS

Chris White is a native of Bristol, Tennessee. He attended Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA, where he received the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree in 1997, graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors. He began his graduate studies as a Graduate Teaching Assistant to University Bands at Radford University, where he studied trumpet and conducting with Mark Camphouse. After moving to Charlotte, NC to begin his teaching career, he finished his graduate studies at Winthrop University as a student of Dr. Bill Malambri, where he earned the Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting degree.

Mr. White is a National Board Certified teacher in Early Adolescent Through Young Adult Instrumental Music. He has taught for ten years and is currently the Director of Bands at Hickory Ridge High School in Harrisburg, NC where he directs the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Marching Band, Winter Guard, Concert Percussion Ensemble, and several small ensembles. Under his direction, these ensembles have consistently received superior and excellent ratings at marching, concert, jazz, and solo festivals. In addition to performing ensembles, Mr. White has also taught courses in Beginning and Advanced Placement Music Theory. He currently serves Music Director for JDC Productions, performing musical theater in the Rock Hill community, and is a publishing consultant at ALRY Publications, a woodwind music publisher located in Charlotte, NC.

In 2002 Mr. White’s students from the E.E. Waddell High School traveled to London, England to march in the Lord Mayor’s New Year’s Day Parade. In 2009, students from Hickory Ridge High School traveled to London to participate in the same event.

Mr. White received recognition as Charlotte-Mecklenburg New Band Director of the Year in 1999. He was also recognized as 2001 E.E. Waddell High School Teacher of the Year, and received the Horace Mann Crystal Apple Award for outstanding teaching. He has served as clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor for many marching and concert events. He is a former adjudicator for the Carolina All-American Judges Association, where he judged numerous events at both regional events and for the CAA Championships.

Mr. White has performed with a variety of community and professional ensembles. He is currently an active member of the Winthrop University Olde English Symphonic Wind Ensemble. He has previously performed with the Theatre Bristol Pit Orchestra, the Kingsport Symphony Orchestra, the Sugar and Spice Big Band, and the Baltimore (MD) Community Band.

His professional memberships include the North Carolina Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, the North Carolina Bandmasters Association, the Cabarrus County Band Directors Association, and the International Trumpet Guild. He is also a member of Phi Mu Alpha, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Omicron Delta Kappa fraternities.

Mr. Edd Powell :: Director of Bands Hickory Ridge MS, Assistant Director Hickory Ridge HS

Edd Powell, a native of Lake City, South Carolina, was previously Director of Bands at C.C. Griffin Middle School in Concord, NC. He is a veteran teacher with well over 30 years of experience working in the schools of both North and South Carolina. Mr. Powell did his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of South Carolina and later studied composition with Gordon Goodwin, Claude T. Smith and Elliot Carter. After teaching in South Carolina and Hannah Pamplico and Lake City High Schools, Mr. Powell came to Central Cabarrus High School in Concord in 1982 where his marching bands received consistent Superior ratings at local, regional and national events. As a prominent Bands of America participant, his Central Cabarrus Band was a consistent finalist at both the regional and national levels. His 1987 and 1988 bands were BOA Grand National Finalists. With the opening of J.N. Fries Middle School in 1989, Mr. Powell moved to middle school work full time and his two performing bands at J.N. Fries and more recently C.C. Griffin have earned 30 consecutive Superior ratings at the North Carolina Music Performance Adjudication events. In addition, his 1995 J.N. Fries and 2004 C.C. Griffin Symphonic Bands performed at the North Carolina Music Educators Conference. An active composer and arranger, Mr. Powell has written and arranged works for middle and high school bands across the United States and Canada. Mr. Powell lives in Concord with his wife Pam and daughter Lauren.

Richard works closely with the director, staff and band boosters to handle the logistical aspects of the Hickory Ridge Bands. Also, Richard works with student leadership team to keep the bands running efficiently. Richard works full time in corporate administrative services and part time he works in event planning. He attended Western Carolina University and UNC-Charlotte majoring in Communication Studies focusing in Organizational Communication. While attending Western Carolina University, he served as mellophone section leader in the Pride of the Mountains marching band. Richard has previously taught band programs at South Mecklenburg, Butler and Providence high schools in Charlotte. Outside of the school systems, Richard has been a clinician at marching band camps in North Carolina and Virginia. He was raised in the Lake Norman area and attended Mooresville High School where he held a leadership position in marching band all four years, including drum major his junior and senior years.

Matt is guard choreographer and visual designer for Hickory Ridge High School in Harrisburg, NC. He also is a choreographer and instructor for the 2010 Independent A semi-finalist and 2011 Independent A Finalist Aria Winter Guard from Greensboro, NC. Matt has instructed and choreographed for many color guards in both North and South Carolina. Some of these include most recently Monroe High School in 2009, 2010, and 2011 as well as Westside High School from 2007 to the present. Other teaching experience includes North Gaston HS, Jonesville HS, and Daniel HS. He has also performed with Aria Winter Guard in 2006 and 2007 and Etude Winter Guard in 2008 and 2009. In 2008 Etude was an Independent Open Class Finalist at the WGI World Championships. Matt also has his music education degree from Winthrop University and currently teaches music at Carr and Catawba Heights Elementary in Gastonia, NC. He is an alumnus and former president of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity. Matt resides in Indian Land, SC.

Caleb Brown is thrilled to join the staff of such a magnificent music program. Originally from Seagrove, NC, Caleb is a graduate of Southwestern Randolph High School where he participated in marching band, winter guard, and musical theater. After high school, Caleb completed his undergraduate studies in Instrumental Music Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Caleb has taught numerous ensembles in the Greensboro area, serving as both music and colorguard instructors. These performing groups include Ledford High School, Southwestern Randolph High School, Providence Grove High School, the Randolph County Winterguard, Ragsdale High School, and Northwest Guilford High School. His performing experience includes marching band at Southwestern Randolph High School (serving as drum major his junior and senior years), member of the 2010 Semi-Finalist and 2011 Finalist Aria Winterguard, and member of the colorguard section of the 2010 World Finalist Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. Caleb is in his first year as music teacher at Rock Rest Elementary School in Monroe, NC. He resides in Matthews, NC.

Meri Jenkins, a graduate from Hickory Ridge and native of Harrisburg, served as drum major to the Blue Regiment during her junior and senior years. She was the recipient of the Director's Award for Band in 2008, and the John Phillip Sousa Award in 2009. She has participated in numerous honor bands, including the South Central District Honor Band and the Winthrop University Invitational in 2007 and 2008. She is currently attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, pursuing a Music Performance degree on French Horn. In addition to the horn, she was also a district level saxophone player for six years. Prior to joining the Blue Regiment staff, Meri served as a loyal graduate, volunteering her services in the fall of 2009.

James Barnes began his music experience in the Sabre Regiment of South Mecklenburg High School. During his senior year he served the band as Drum Major and led the ensemble to an extremely successful season, placing 1st at every competition. He was also the recipient of the National School Marching Award and the John Phillip Sousa Award. He consistently participated in honor bands and served as the tuba player for the North Carolina All-State Orchestra and the University of South Carolina Honor Band. James has attended several Drum Corps International clinics, increasing his knowledge on the marching field. In the fall of 2009, he attended Western Carolina University. He is now at the University of South Carolina continuing his studies to earn a Music Education Degree. At USC he serves as the principal tubist of the USC Symphony and the USC Symphonic Winds. He joined the staff of the Blue Regiment in the spring of 2009 and looks forward to working with the tradition of success!